This attempt has been laid down in the Trio Declaration on the equality of women and men of the countries holding Council Presidency that today was signed by the Minister for Social Security and Labour Algimanta Pabedinskienė together with the ministers of Ireland and Greece responsible for the issues of gender equality during the conference 'Economic inclusion of women and the strategy Europe 2020' in Dublin.

'When referring to gender equality we do not talk about creating artificial conditions for one gender or another, we talk about not tolerating discrimination. Men as well as women must be ensured possibly equal conditions in the labour market eliminating the cases of humiliation or exaltation on the basis of gender. Today, with signing Trio Declaration we authorise our attempts during Council Presidency to encourage equality of women and men in employment and other fields, to increase efficiency of institutional mechanisms in gender equality', - said the Minister for Social Security and Labour Algimanta Pabedinskienė.

She also emphasized the importance of this attempt in solving unemployment problems. Without a full and efficient participation of all – women as well as men – in the labour market it will be difficult to achieve the objective laid down in the EU economy growth strategy 'Europe 2020' – up to 2020 to achieve 75% employment of the persons 20-64 years of age.

During the event in Dublin Alan Shatter, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence of Ireland, Kathleen Lynch, the Minister for the Disabled, Equality, Mental Health and Older People, and Richard Bruton, the Minister for Labour, Companies and Innovations personally thanked the Minister A.Pabedinskiene for the big attention to and determination to continue the work that has been started in the field of women and men equality during the Council Presidency of Ireland, Lithuania and Greece also seeking to achieve the objectives stated in the strategy 'Europa 2020'.

During the Council of Ministers for Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumers' Protection during the Council Presidency of Lithuania in December it is planned to pass Council conclusions reviewing changes of institutional mechanisms of women and men equality of EU member states since 2006, including the changes determined by economical crisis and influence of reforms to institutional mechanisms and results of gender equality. This document will serve as political obligations of member states regarding further actions and this will undoubtedly contribute to more rapid progress in the field of women and men equality.

Trio Declarations in the field of gender equality is a historic tradition of the countries holding Council Presidency since legitimization of the format of Trio Presidency. This Declaration is a political document identifying joint Trio and specific priorities of each country in the field of women and men equality also describing specific actions that will be organised by the Presidency countries during the period of their Presidency.

In Lithuania women lead approximately one third of small and average companies, one fourth of the members of the Parliament are women, also one half of diplomats and more than a half of lawyers are women in Lithuania, although they make only 19% of the members of managing boards of the companies.

Press Office of Ministry of Social Security and Labour

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